Window

ABSTRACT

A frame for a multiple pane window includes members defining substantially coplanar inner and outer annular chambers about the periphery of the window. In the finished window, two glazings are supported in spaced, parallel relation from the side walls of the inner chamber. The frame is held together by gussets engaging adjacent sides of the frame at the walls of the outer chamber. The inner chamber communicates via holes with the space trapped between the panes and contains desiccating material.

United States Patent [1 1 Zanker WINDOW [75] Inventor: Paul Zanker, Tubingen, Germany [73] Assignee: Saint-Cobain Industries, France [22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1973 [21] App1.No.:409,015

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 21, 1972 Germany 2251790 [52] US. Cl. 52/172; 52/398; 52/475 [51] Int. Cl E06b 3/24 [58] Field of Search 52/172, 399, 398, 475,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1899 Sheppard 52/398 X 7/1961 Leisibach.... 52/398 1 Aug. 19, 1975 3,105,274 10/1963 Armstrong 52/398 3,203,053 8/1965 Lane et a1.... 52/172 X 3,468,573 9/1969 Peter 52/475 X 3,685,239 8/1972 McCurdy et a1 52/304 X Primary Examiner-Price C. Faw, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmPennie & Edmonds [5 7] ABSTRACT 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures A1181 9| PATENTEU 915 3,899,858

SHEET 2 BF 2 Fig. 2

WINDOW The present invention pertains to doubly glazed win dows having a frame of metal or plastic material. In such windows, wherein the space between the two panes of glass is not to be opened but is to remain sealed, it is important to protect that space against the penetration of humidity. On the other hand, good heat and sound insulation properties for the window require that the separation of the panes of glass be as large as possible.

In certain known windows of this type panes of glass are mounted, albeit with a small separation, in a chassis or frame which makes that space watertight. In other proposed constructions the two panes of glass are mounted in spaced relation as a prefabricated unit, and this unit is then assembled to the window frame. Prior to sealing the unit at the periphery of the panes, there is introduced a desiccating agent into the space between them. lt is, however, possible to tolerate only a small quantity of such a desiccating agent, and its effect is lost after a relatively short time. Moreover, the separation of the glass sheets is insufficient for good thermal and noise insulation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a double window in which the glass panes may be widely spaced and into which there can be placed a large quantity of desiccating agent.

In accordance with the invention, the window frame is made up of side members, usually four, mitered at 45 and assembled with gussets to form a frame, usually rectangular. These side members have a cross-section something like a figure 8, with various protruding flanges. Thus each side member possesses two tubular channels, and the window frame which is formed when the side members are assembled therefore encloses or defines two annular, tubular channels, an inner one and an outer one. The side members are assembled into a closed loop shape (usually rectangular) by means of gussets or angle pieces and wedges which extend into the outer one of these channels. The inner channel receives the desiccating agent, and apertures through the wall defining that inner channel which is nearest the center of the frame permit the air trapped in the space between the panes of glass to circulate into the inner annular tubular channel and to give up its moisture to the desiccating agent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION of the DRAWINGS The invention will now be further described in terms of a presently preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line II of FIG. 2, through a window in accordance with the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a window according to the invention taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the invention as applied to a casement window, i.e., a window which swings about hinges at one side thereof. The hinged side of the win dow of FIG. 1, not seen in that figure, is at or above the top of the figure, the hinge axis being perpendicular to the plane of the figure. If the window opens inwardly, the space at the left in FIG. I is the exterior, outside the window, and the space at the right is the interior, inside the window. The invention is of course however not limited to casement windows. In FIG. 1 the window and, more particularly the rectangular annular frame thereof, is generally indicated at reference character I and its two panes of glass are indicated at 11. The frame 1 with its panes ll accordingly constitutes the movable part of the window. Hereinafter, unless the context indicates otherwise, the term window will refer to the movable part, i.e., to the pane or panes such as 11, and to the frame such as l which holds them. In FIG. 1, the stationary casing or jamb against which the window fits to close the window opening is shown in phantom, and is identified by reference character 20.

The frame includes along each of its (usually) four sides a linear member of which one is seen in crosssection in FIG. 2. Two such members are shown fragmentarily in FIG. 2, joined together, and indicated generally in FIG. 2, at 25 and 26.

As illustrated, each side member comprises four principal structural elements 27, l4, l0 and 10. The element generally indicated at 27 is of tubular shape with three longitudinal ribs or flanges 19 and with additional ribs or flanges 22, 23, 8,8, 9 and 9, extending from the tubular portion thereof. The tubular space inside element 27 is indicated at 2 in FIG. 1. The member 27 is identifiable in FIG. I, as to the entirety of its crosssection by the widely spaced cross-hatching which extends from lower left to upper right. The member 27 may be made up of a single extrusion or of a number of separate parts rolled, extruded, or otherwise fabricated from metal, plastic or other material and suitably fastened together to form the cross-section just described.

Each side member of the frame, such as the side member 25 and 26, possesses in addition a plate or strip-shaped element 14 having two flanges or ribs 15 and 15. It also comprises, in the finished window, two closure plates or strips 10 and 10'. The flanges l5 and 15' have each at their ends an outwardly facing fillet 16. The fillets possess a spring fit between flanges 8 and 8 of element 27, beneath similar fillets 28 on flanges 8 and 8. Elements 27 and 14 thereby define, for each side member, a second, inner tubular space indicated at 3. Plates l0 and 10' are provided with flanges 29 and 29, and these have fillets as shown which possess a spring fit behind mating fillets on flanges 9 and 9' of element 27.

In practice, the four side members such as 25 and 26 are assembled into a rectangular, loop shape without the strips 10 and 10. A fillet of mastic 12 is first laid into the loop-shaped rabbets defined by flanges 8, 9 and 8, 9, and the panes 11 are set into this mastic before the strips 10 and 10'are sprung into place.

The side members are mitered at their ends as shown in FIG. 2, and are assembled into a rectangular loop shape with the help of gussets or angle pieces 5 and wedges 6, received in the outer space 2. The angle pieces 5 may have their outer faces inclined to each other at and their inner faces at a slightly larger angle, to accommodate the wedges 6. When the side members are so assembled, the resulting frame includes inner and outer annular spaces 3 and 2. Openings, as indicated at 7, may be provided through the peripherally outer wall of the elements 27 which enclose spaces 2 so as to permit access to the wedges 6 by means of suitable tools in the assembly and disassembly of the frame. Holes 13 through the flanges 8, 8 and l5, 15 at the lines of junction 4-4 at the corners permit this mastic to penetrate into the annular space 3.

In at least one side member, holes 18 are formed in the plate 14, which constitutes the wall of the chamber 3 nearest the center of the frame. These holes thus give access between the space 3 of that side member and the space which, in the finished window, is trapped between the panes ll. Bags of desiccating material 17 are introduced into this space 3 before the side members are assembled into a loop-shaped, rectangular frame.

The flanges 19, 22, and 23 may serve to seal the window against the stationary jamb, for example with the help of a flexible tongue 21 and strip 24.

The invention thus provides a movable double-glazed window including a frame which comprises, along each side of the window, a plurality of linear elements assembled together into a frame side member. The frame side member defines inner and outer tubular channels as illustrated at 3 and 2 respectively in FIG. 1, at least two flanges as illustrated at 9 and 9' in FIG. I, extending from the exterior of that inner channel 3 for the reception on each of a fillet of mastic as illustrated at 12 in FIG. I, and at least one flange such as that illustrated at 23 in FIG. 1, extending from the exterior of the outer channel 2 for engagement with a stationary window casing, the frame further comprising, at the corners thereof where adjacent of its frame side members intersect, fastening means such as the gussets and wedges 6 of FIG. 2, engaging the outer channels 2 of the intersecting frame side members, the window further comprising absorbent means such as the bags of dessicating material 17 disposed in the inner tubular channel 3 of at least one of those frame side members, and two panes as indicated at 11 in FIG. 1, each having its edges embedded in one of the fillets 12, the inner tubular channel 3 of at least one frame side member being apertured as indicated at 18 in FIG. 1, to the space between those panes. The side frame members may be apertured as indicated at 18 in FIG. I, to the space between those panes. The side frame members may be apaertured as indicated at 7 in FIG. 2 to give access to the wedges 6 from outside the frame and there may be provided strips as indicated at and 10' in FIG. 1, re-

siliently engaged with the flanges 9 and 9, to retain the panes in position.

While the invention has been described hereinabove in terms of a presently preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited thereto. The window frame can of course be made of any suitable materials, and the panes may be made of material other than glass. More generally, the invention comprehends all modifications of and departures from the embodiment hereinabove described properly falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A moveable double-glazed window including a frame comprising, along each side of the window, a plurality of linear elements assembled together into a frame side member defining a. inner and outer tubular channels,

b. at least two flanges extending from the exterior of said inner channel for the reception on each of a fillet of mastic, and

c. at least one flange extending from the exterior of said outer channel for engagement with a stationary window casing, said frame comprising, at the corners thereof where adjacent of said frame side members intersect, fastening means engaging the outer channels of said intersecting frame side members, said window further comprising absorbent means disposed in the inner tubular channel of at least one of the said frame side members, and two panes each having its edges embedded in one of said fillets, the inner tubular channel of at least one frame side member being apertured to the space between said panes.

2. A window according to claim 1 in which said fastening means comprise gussets.

3. A window according to claim 2 in which said fastening means comprise gussets and wedges.

4. A window according to claim 3 wherein said side members are apertured to give access to said wedges from outside the frame.

5. A window according to claim 1 further including strips to retain said panes, said strips being resiliently engaged with said flanges. 

1. A moveable double-glazed window including a frame comprising, along each side of the window, a plurality of linear elements assembled together into a frame side member defining a. inner and outer tubular channels, b. at least two flanges extending from the exterior of said inner channel for the reception on each of a fillet of mastic, and c. at least one flange extending from the exterior of said outer channel for engagement with a stationary window casing, said frame comprising, at the corners thereof where adjacent of said frame side members intersect, fastening means engaging the outer channels of said intersecting frame side members, said window further comprising absorbent means disposed in the inner tubular channel of at least one of the said frame side members, and two panes each having its edges embedded in one of said fillets, the inner tubular channel of at least one frame side member being apertured to the space between said panes.
 2. A window according to claim 1 in which said fastening means comprise gussets.
 3. A window according to claim 2 in which said fastening means comprise gussets and wedges.
 4. A window according to claim 3 wherein said side members are apertured to give access to said wedges from outside the frame.
 5. A window according to claim 1 further including strips to retain said panes, said strips being resiliently engaged with said flanges. 